The present invention relates to artists' easels and more particularly to one which has a paintbrush cleaning assembly for removing paint thinner or other solvent from paintbrushes.
Artists that work with the wet-on-wet technique are constantly changing from one paint color to another paint color. Between each paint color change, the artist must clean the paintbrush, usually with odorless paint thinner, though other paint solvents could be used. A can or jar filled with paint thinner, and usually containing a screen or other device for the brush to rub up against to aid in its cleaning, is used to clean the paint-laden brush. Thereafter, the brush must be dried of the paint solvent, such as by use of paper towels. As an alternative to or adjunct with the use of paper towels, the brush can be dried of solvent rapidly by beating the brush rapidly against a bar. One well-known wet-on-wet technique artist, Bob Ross, enchanted his television audiences by beating his solvent-laden paintbrushes on the lower leg of his easel and quipping that the camera operators and other TV personnel present had to duck when he beat his brush to avoid the splatter that he created. Nevertheless, such operation was quite effective in quickly drying the paintbrush so that he could move on to the next color as required by the wet-on-wet technique.
It would be quite advantageous for all wet-on-wet technique artists to be able to beat their paintbrushes as Bob Ross did on his TV shows. Yet, to do so would create quite a mess, thus limiting where the artist could paint. Moreover, it is not environmentally safe to splatter paint solvent into the atmosphere and onto nearby objects, especially if the artist were outdoors.
Heretofore, some artisans have developed splatter containment for use in the cleaning of paintbrushes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,736 proposes a paint splatter box having an open front and drain for the expelled paint thinner to collect in a collection box, A crude easel also is provided. U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,554 proposes a stand for insertion into a conventional wastebasket for cleaning paintbrushes of artists employing the wet-on-wet technique. U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,267 proposes a brush cleaner confined within a housing for similarly cleaning paintbrushes. Other than the '736 patent, none of the other proposals involve an artists easel and none of these proposals include an adjustable artists easel, such as proposed elsewhere. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,488 discloses an artist's collapsible wall and table mountable easel with U-shaped base. U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,614 discloses a mobile easel and seat having base pegs for hanging a cleaning cloth.
Despite these proposals, there still is a need for a full adjustable artists easel for use by artists who both stand and sit, while also providing splatter containment for use in the cleaning of paintbrushes. The present invention is addressed to such need.